Courtney Hollender

Courtney Hollender is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Horticulture at Michigan State University's College of Agriculture & Natural Resources. She holds a Ph.D. in Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics from the University of Maryland (2012) and a B.A. in Biology from Goucher College (2003). Her research focuses on molecular genetics and developmental biology in tree fruit agriculture.

• Key research areas: Plant Developmental Biology, Molecular Genetics, Tree Fruit Physiology
• Species studied: Arabidopsis, Peach, Plum, Cherry, Apple, Strawberry
• Techniques: Genomic approaches, Bioinformatics, Protein interaction studies

Publication Trends: Her recent work (2023-2025) investigates genetic regulators of plant architecture (LAZY1, WEEP, TAC1 genes), bloom time mechanisms in rosaceous fruit trees, and genome evolution in Prunus species. These studies connect molecular pathways to agricultural traits like dwarfism and branch orientation.

Research Impact: Collaborations span USDA-ARS, University of Maryland, and MSU. Projects like Project GREEEN demonstrate her commitment to advancing Michigan plant agriculture through genetic research.